Tank valve



L. w. WINSHIP May 16, 1939.

TANK VALVE Filed Sept. 7, i957 Patented May 16, 1939 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to flush tank valves, and more particularly to flush tank valves applicable for use in toilet flush tanks.

It is an object of this invention to provide a flush tank valve which will adapt itself to the valve seat in a flush tank and which valve includes a body member having spaced.- therefrom an annular seating rim to provide a space between the body and the annular sealing rim for the reception of water from the flush tank sothat the annular sealing rim will be maintained in sealing engagement with the valve seat irrespective of the condition of the valve seat.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flush tank valve which includes a body having a flexible sealing wall spaced from the body to provide a water-receiving chamber.

Another object of this invention is to provide the flush tank valve member including a body having spaced therefrom a flexible engaging wall inclined downwardly so that a water-receiving chamber is provided between the body of the valve and the flexible sealing Wall or rim whereby the water as received in said receiving chamber will exert a downward pressure against the sealing rim.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation mainly in vertical midsection of a flush tank valve embodying my invention as adapted to a fragment of a flush tank likewise illustrated plainly in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the flush tank valve embodying my invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, I indicates a hollow flush tank valve preferably formed of vulcanized rubber or other suitable material. The body I may be of any suitable contour and is provided with a downwardly tapered flexible seating rim or wall 2 spaced from the body I to provide a water-receiving chamber 2 6 between the inner periphery of the wall 2 and.

the correspondingly tapered wall 3 of the body I. The outer wall 2 extends below the body I as indicated at 4 forming a bottom I which is perforated at 8. The outer flexible wall 2 is joined to the body I by a connecting wall 5. As is customary in such tank valve structures, the body I is thickened at the upper wall 9 and terminates at its upper end in a boss I5 in which a threaded socket I6 is molded. The upper wall 9 is connected to the tapered wall 3 by a connecting wall Ill.

The upper end of the flexible wall 2 may be likewise thickened, as indicated at I2, to reinforce the upper edge of the flexible wall 2.

In order to reinforce the flexible outer engaging wall or rim 2 to prevent the possibility of suction drawing the valve through the valve seat, the structure of the outer wall 2 is reinforced by means of a plurality of connecting webs I4 which connect the outer wall 2 to the body of the tank valve I. These connecting webs may be of any suitable or desirable form or construction and are herein illustrated as extending at an angle from the radii of the flexible wall 2.

The flush tank as thus formed is adapted to be secured to the customary valve stem ll of a flush tank and to cooperate with the tapered valve seat 22. The valve stem I'I extends through a guide I8 which is mounted upon the overflow pipe I9 of the flush tank.

When the flush tank 20 is filled with water, p the chamber 6, or plurality of chambers 6, formed by the dividing webs I 4, are filled with water. When the tank flush valve I is lowered against the seat 22, water is within the space 3 between the body I and the flexible sealing wall 2. As the sealing wall 2 is flexible and is tapered, the pressure of the water exerted against the wall 2 forces the wall 2 to conform with the contour of the seat 22, thereby maintaining a sealing action.

Having fully described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tank valve member and a seat therefor, the tank valve member including a body, a flexible wall spaced therefrom to provide a water- 5 receiving chamber, a plurality of thin reinforcing Webs connecting said flexible wall and said body and dividing said chamber into a plurality of segments, and the outer engaging surface of the wall being inclined so that the pressure of the water within the chamber exerts a sealing pressure between the flexible wall and the seat.

2. A flush tank valve including a body, a flexible tapered sealing wall spaced therefrom to provide a Water-receiving chamber, and a connecting means between the flexible sealing wall and the body to reinforce the flexible sealing wall said connecting means dividing said chamher into a plurality of segments.

3. A tank valve compriseing a body, a flexible sealing wall spaced from said body, and a plurality of thin webs connecting the flexible sealing wall and the body.

4-. A flush tank valve including a hollow body, an inwardly tapered wall on said body, a flexible tapered sealing wall spaced from said body Wall and forming a water receiving chamber, and a plurality of thin reinforcing webs connecting said sealing wall and said body wall to provide a chamber divided into segments.

5. A flush tank valve including a body, an inwardly tapered wall on said body, a flexible tapered sealing wall spaced from and substantially parallel to said body wall to provide a water receiving chamber, and a plurality of thin reinforcing webs connecting said body Wall and said flexible sealing wall to provide a plurality of 10 segments in said chamber.

LESLIE W. WINSHIP. 

